In recent years a number of Intelligent Network type telephone system architectures have been developed to provide and control a variety of communication services from a centralized database within the telephone network. In such a system, the central database controls switching operations through multiple end offices. Local and/or toll offices of the public telephone network detect a call processing event identified as an AIN "trigger". For ordinary telephone service calls, there would be no event to trigger AIN processing; and the local and toll office switches would function normally and process such calls without referring to the database for instructions. An office which detects a trigger, however, will suspend call processing, compile a call data message and forward that message via a common channel interoffice signalling (CCIS) link to a Service Control Point (SCP) which includes the database. If needed, the SCP can instruct the central office to obtain and forward additional information. Once sufficient information about the call has reached the SCP, the SCP accesses its stored data tables to translate the received message data into a call control message and returns the call control message to the office of the network via CCIS link. The network offices then use the call control message to complete the particular call.
Pierce et al., "Meeting Private Needs with the Public Network", BELLCORE EXCHANGE, January/February 1988, pp. 8-13, is one example of a disclosure of an intelligent network architecture which includes a description of the variety of communication services which such a network can offer. As disclosed therein, the network identifies a number of lines for a commercial subscriber as members of a closed group, referred to as a private virtual network, even though those lines connect to a number of different local switching offices. The system then uses subscriber data stored in the SCP to control the end offices to offer services such as routing control, class of service restriction and corresponding access authorization to override the restriction, and a telecommuting service whereby services available on a subscriber business line may also be available on the subscriber's home line. The customer can also change the programming in the SCP so that when an employee moves, the network number used to reach that person stays the same even though that person is assigned a new public-network directory number. Pierce et al. further suggest that the intelligent network can provide a closely related " Area Wide Centrex" service offering additional features, such as call transfer, to a closed user group.
Although such intelligent network systems offer commercial subscribers considerable flexibility in customizing their telephone services, they have not as yet offered such subscriber's as much control over availability of services and/or access restrictions for such services. In one example, an airline operating a courtesy lounge might want to activate phone service via telephones in the lounge and offer that service to passengers on a delayed flight. It would be desireable, however, to control the service carefully to avoid abuse. Some access control has been provided by the telephone network, including the systems using intelligent network architectures, however, they do not offer the subscriber sufficient direct access to the data in the SCP or the flexibility to control authorization codes, to efficiently provide the control necessary for the airline courtesy lounge example.
For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,756,020 to Fodale suggests access authorization control in an AIN type multiple office environment. The Fodale system however, restricts access to a long distance telephone network based on the status of the billing number associated with the call, i.e. delinquent. In the Fodale network, the information in the database can not be modified by the customer and does not activate or deactivate service to one subscriber's identified group of lines. Also, Fodale does not suggest storing any authorization code or password data in the database.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,313,035 to Jordan et al. patent discloses a method of providing a person locator service through multiple exchanges of the switched telephone network using an intelligent network type of telephone system architecture. Jordan et al. teach offering the subscriber access to the subscriber's data in the central database, to input data for controlling the person locator service. The Jordan et al. system, however, does not activate service provided via a group of the subscriber's telephone lines and does not allow the subscriber to establish codes or passwords to control access to the activated service.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,109,408 to Greenspan et al. discloses a telephone communication system for blocking calls to certain types of telephone numbers, typically 900 or 976 numbers. In response to such a call, the local switching office launches a query to the database, and the database returns a response message instructing the switch as to how to process the call. The response can instruct the switch to play an announcement and collect digits, terminate the call, connect the call to a translated destination number or connect the call to a dialed destination number. In one example given, the switch is configured to block all 976 calls, but the switch will query the database regarding override under certain circumstances. To override a call block, the subscriber goes off-hook, dials an access code and a 976 directory number. In response, the switch launches the query to the database. The database checks the customer's data file. If the customer has requested completion under such circumstances, the database sends back an instruction to the switch to complete the call to the dialed 976 directory number. If the subscriber's data indicates that the subscriber has requested a screening procedure, the database would send back an instruction to play an announcement and collect additional digits, e.g. corresponding to the subscriber's personal identification number. In this second case, the database sends the call completion instruction only after the caller has passed the screening procedure specified by the subscriber. Greenspan et al. however, do not allow one subscriber to control outdialing services on a plurality of the subscribers lines and do not allow the subscriber to change the subscriber's data during an interactive call-in procedure.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,896,346 to Belfield et al. discloses an automated telephone switching system which provides restricted access to a subscriber's trunk facilities using an authorization code and a spoken password to identify persons permitted access. Also, the subscriber can enter the password in the database within the telephone network using an interactive procedure. Belfield et al., however, do not allow the subscriber to establish different authorization codes, particularly codes which relate to the subscriber's products or services.
From the above discussion it becomes clear that a need still exists to offer subscriber's greater control over activation of services and related restrictions to services, so that subscribers can in turn offer those services to their own customer's on a carefully restricted basis. The subscriber should be able to turn on the service for a group of the subscriber's lines at will, without intervention by telephone company personnel. The subscriber should also have the ability to easily establish authorization codes for use in accessing such services, so that the subscriber can give the codes only to those customer's to whom it wishes to offer access to the communications services. The subscriber should also be able to control routing of calls through the network to minimize costs and/or optimize use of the subscriber's own private facilities.